Cole-Hamilton speech: We get things done
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton will use his speech to his party’s spring conference in Edinburgh to set out how his party is delivering for the people of Scotland on the things that matter most to them, emphasise that “the more MSPs we have, the more we can get done” and call for voters to back his party on the peach-regional ballot.
Members of the media who have not yet registered to attend are encouraged to email media@scotlibdems.org.uk
Alex Cole-Hamilton will speak at 12.30 on Friday 20th February. He will be available for pictures, broadcast clips and interviews for print media throughout conference.
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey will speak at 10.00 on Saturday 21st February. He will available for broadcast clips and interviews for print media ahead of his speech on Saturday morning.
The conference agenda can be found here.
The conference is available to stream at http://www.youtube.com/@scotlibdem
Alex is expected to say:
There are two types of political opposition:
Opposition parties who only fire out angry press releases, and achieve absolutely nothing for their constituents.
Or opposition parties prepared to get things done.
Let me remind you, Scottish Labour’s decision last month to abstain on the budget meant that it was always going to pass.
Despite that, we sat round the table and squeezed every penny we could out of it. It’s how we got £300 million of government money put behind Scottish Liberal Democrat priorities.
It means:
• Serious support for pubs, restaurants, hotels, music venues, licensed clubs and night clubs – linchpins of the high street that have suffered so much.
• A 10% increase in the college budget, because we trust them to produce the skills and entrepreneurs our economy needs.
• Millions for hospices so they can attract and retain staff.
• Millions to speed up autism and ADHD assessments
• Millions to keep projects and activities open in disadvantaged communities.
• Millions to back young entrepreneurs.
• And for the Northern Isles, the removal of peak time seasonal ferry fares.
Of course a single budget can’t unpick all the damage done by 19 years of SNP Government. We know the thing that will truly bring about the change that Scotland needs is a change of government.
But budget by budget, bill by bill, case by case, we choose to use our leverage as MSPs, as an opposition party, to get things done. It isn’t always easy, it’s certainly not risk free, but conference, sometimes it’s just the right thing to do.
It’s how we:
• Opened up new opportunities to train workers in care and offshore wind.
• Saved Corseford College for young people with complex and additional needs.
• Restarted work on Edinburgh’s Eye Hospital and the Belford Hospital in Fort William.
• Gave family carers the right to earn more.
• And restored money to the housing budget that was cut by the Greens and SNP.
Jamie Greene secured new rights for victims, introducing Suzanne’s Law and Michelle’s Law.
Beatrice Wishart has got more money for ferries and her efforts mean there’s now light at the end of the tunnel in the campaign for the fixed links that would transform Shetland.
Flood-stricken families and businesses in Cupar only got money because Willie Rennie stood up for them when the government turned its back.
And it’s why Liam McArthur is the right person to lead the Parliament’s thoughtful debate on assisted dying for terminally ill adults – the most prominent piece of legislation in this whole 5-year Parliament, handled with the utmost care.
That’s what we’ve been up to with just five MSPs. Just imagine what we could do with more.
Scottish Liberal Democrats get things done.
The more MSPs we have, the more we can get done.
Because Scotland deserves better. And with the Scottish Liberal Democrats, wherever you are, you can vote for it on your second peach ballot.
